Trying to understand the meaning of psychopathy, Welsh journalist Jon Ronson spends time with doctors, scientists, and neurologists, getting the clinical point of view. Going beyond established ideas, he also questions Broadmoor patients (one, in particular, who claims to be sane), power-grasping CEOs and politicians, a vehemently anti-psychiatry Scientologist, and even a former Haitian militia leader. Author/narrator Ronson’s likable personality makes the listening easy. All his wry humor, sarcasm, and droll wit are evident in his narration. His keen storytelling keeps the energy high, sounding as if something exciting is lurking in every upcoming sentence. A writer who specializes in books that investigate psychic outlaws, such as THE MEN WHO STARE AT GOATS, Ronson takes an original look at what society recognizes as madness.
Pub Date: Feb. 4, 2011
Duration: 7 hrs, 30 mins
Publisher: Tantor Media
Review Posted Online: Jan. 22, 2026
Sylvia Nasar's excellent biography of the tragic but ultimately triumphant life of mathematician John Forbes Nash,, Jr., gets cheated by poor audio production. Anna Fields's volume is so low that some of her trailing sentences are inaudible except in a silent room. Blackstone compounds the problem with a very high-noise recording. The end result is a production that can't be listened to comfortably in a car or walking in public because Fields's voice ranges from near-whisper to just above normal volume. The listener who compensates for the whisper is overwhelmed by her louder sections. In future Fields projects, Blackstone needs to use compression. Read the excellent book instead.
Pub Date: Jan. 22, 2000
Duration: 19 hrs, 30 mins
Publisher: Blackstone Audio
Review Posted Online: Jan. 22, 2026
The authors, both neuroscientists, believe that Internet search logs offer an astounding research opportunity: a look at human sexuality that is anonymous and, thus, probably acutely honest. What do people search for, sexually, online? The results are enlightening, sometimes startling, and rather humorous. The potential for titillating smarminess in this topic is enormous, but narrator Andrew Garman never goes there. His demeanor is professional and full of good cheer. The graphic language, which he reads with clarity and humor, could come off equally as silly or scandalous, but his pace never feels like it's lingering or leering, and his tone is instructive. There are charts and lists in the text, and Garman easily incorporates them into the listening experience.
Pub Date: Jan. 22, 2011
Duration: 9 hrs
Publisher: Recorded Books Inc.
Review Posted Online: Jan. 22, 2026
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